JP5433076B2 - Ophthalmic glasses for characterizing eyeball vergence of eyeglass wearers - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to ophthalmic glasses adapted to characterize the convergence of eyeglass wearers' eyeballs. The present invention also relates to a lens for such glasses.

  There are many existing systems for detecting a subject's eye movements in real time. For example, US Pat. No. 5,966,197 describes a system for laser ablation eye surgery, which detects and corrects patient eye movements. The system tracks the rotational position in the socket by forming an image of the eyeball and identifying the position of the edge in the image. The edge is the boundary between the sclera of the eyeball and the iris, and can be easily detected in the image of the eyeball by near infrared light having a wavelength of 900 nm to 1200 nm. The sclera has a high reflectivity of about 90% in this spectral region, while the iris has a low reflectivity of about 40%.

  There are other systems for detecting eye movement that are intended for use by awake patients. Some of these other systems consist of a device that rests on the subject's head and forms an image of both eyes while the subject is looking at the object in his environment. Subjects wearing one of these devices can move around as is, but these devices are not usable in daily life and are intended for use in sessions where subject measurement data is collected. Limited.

  Some applications require an eye movement detection system that is compatible with mobile use. Therefore, there is a need for an eye movement detection system that is lightweight and good in appearance and that does not make the subject feel uncomfortable even when used for a long time in daily life. In addition, such a system is preferably inexpensive for many people to wear. Currently, there is no such eye movement detection system that satisfies these requirements in a satisfactory manner.

  One object of the present invention is to realize an eye movement detection system compatible with mobile use in daily life.

  Another object of the present invention is to allow real-time characterization of the direction of an object observed by a user of an eye movement detection system.

  Yet another object of the present invention is to allow a specific determination of the eyeball congestion of the user and the user's eye movement that determines variations in this convergence.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention includes a frame and two lenses held in the frame so that they are respectively positioned in front of the eyeglass wearer's eyeballs. Proposing ophthalmic glasses that provide separate vision to the eyeglass wearer through the lens, said glasses for each lens
-At least one radiation source, wherein the radiation is selected to be reflected by the sclera and iris of each eyeglass wearer's eye according to different reflection intensity factors for that sclera and iris, respectively. At least one radiation source, which may be infrared radiation;
-The radiation generated by the radiation source, in which the right or left part of the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eye located behind the lens is respectively reflected in the eye area moving around in the eye area during eye movement. At least one detector configured to measure each intensity of a portion of
-At least four radiation output units or input units configured in the lens, each output unit representing a portion of the radiation generated from the radiation source, to the right of the boundary between the sclera and the iris And the left part is configured to irradiate toward at least one of the moving eye areas, and each input unit collects a part of the irradiation line reflected in one of these eye areas. At least four irradiation line output units or input units configured to emit light are provided.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the radiation source (s), detector (s), and the radiation output and input are on the eyeball of the eyeglass wearer located behind the lens. Further forming at least four radiation paths, each containing a reflection of the eye, within one of these eye areas where the right and left portions move about for each path at the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball. Composed. The glasses then comprise means for separating a part of the radiation sent between the at least one radiation source and the at least one detector in different radiation paths.

  In a second aspect of the invention, the glasses characterize the convergence of the eyeball wearer's eyeballs at a common observation point, as a function of intensity measured for these two lenses simultaneously (as a function of intensity) ( It further comprises a calculation unit adapted to characterize.

  In a third aspect of the invention, the at least one radiation source, the at least one detector, and the at least four radiation output and input regions are at least two of a distinct path to the radiation. The two first irradiation line output units are configured with the same first elevation angle in each lens, and the two second irradiation line output units are first in each lens. It is comprised by the same 2nd elevation angle different from the elevation angle of. In addition, they are associated with the pair on the right and left sides for each path of each pair at the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyewear wearer's eyeball whose eye zone is located behind the lens. Are located in the same eye zone elevation angle and are configured to be associated with two pairs of paths that are clearly distinguishable and associated with the elevation angle of each eye zone common to these two lenses. The computing unit is then adapted to characterize the eyewear wearer's eye convergence as a function of the intensity measured simultaneously for a portion of the radiation delivered by the path associated with the same eye zone elevation angle; This elevation angle is selected by the calculation unit for the two lenses.

  In this manner, the present invention realizes a system for detecting eye movement of a subject in the form of glasses, which includes an irradiation input unit and an output unit integrated in a lens. Because this system takes the form of glasses, it is lightweight and very compact. This can be used in daily life even if the user is moving around. In particular, the eyeglass wearer of the present invention maintains complete freedom of movement.

  Furthermore, if the radiation input part and the output part are integrated in each lens, the eyeglasses are directed to the eyeglass wearer's eye located in front of the face of the eyeglass wearer in addition to the eyeglass lens. No auxiliary reflector or image acquisition system is required. Therefore, the eye movement detection system of the present invention looks good on the face of the eyeglass wearer and does not cause visual discomfort.

  Furthermore, the detection of the eye movement that occurs when the glasses of the present invention are used is based on the detection results of the positions of the right and left portions of the edge of each eyeball. For this purpose, at least four radiation beams are emitted from the respective lens towards the region of motion of the right and left part of the eyewear's corresponding eyeball edge, the intensity of each of these beams being Measured after the beam is reflected on each eyeball in these areas. Each beam has a different radiation path. Its intensity is reflected more or less depending on whether each beam reaches the sclera or iris on the surface of the eyeball when reflected and then returns through one of these inputs of the lens. Therefore, it changes according to the rotational position of the eyeball. Next, the convergence of the eyeglass wearer's eyeball toward the point where the eyeglass wearer is paying attention at a predetermined moment is determined from the comparison result between a part of the edges of both eyes. In this way, the convergence of the eyeglass wearer's eyeball can be determined from the face of the eyeglass wearer in the horizontal plane regardless of the orientation angle of the object the eyeglass wearer is looking at. The distance characterization of the object observed by the eyeglass wearer can then be estimated in real time from the determined congestion of the eyeglass wearer's eyeball.

  In the present invention, a pair of irradiation line output units in each lens is made according to the elevation angle of the eye area where the irradiation line is reflected, thereby making it possible to apply to the face of the spectacle wearer in a vertical plane called a gaze level. It becomes possible to determine the vergence of the eyeglass wearer's eyeball with respect to an arbitrary directivity angle of the relatively focused object. The path of the two lenses associated with the same eye zone elevation angle is used to determine the vergence of the eyeglass wearer eyeball at a given moment.

In various embodiments of the present invention, some of the following improvements can be used separately or in combination.
The calculation unit is configured to determine one of the eye elevations to characterize the eyeball vergence of the spectacle wearer according to the value of the signal-to-noise (SN) ratio for at least some of the measured intensities. Can be adapted to select.
The glasses may comprise the same number of irradiation output units as the irradiation input units for each lens, each of the output units being adjacent to one of the input units in the lens and separately Each of which is one of the right and left portions of the boundary between the sclera and the iris of the eyeglass wearer's eye located behind this lens. One is configured in front of one of these eye areas that move around during eye movement.
-For each lens, the radiation output section is configured in the form of two rows respectively located in the right and left portions of this lens, and each output of the rows located in the right portion of these lenses The part of the column located in the left part of these lenses belongs to the irradiation path including reflection on the eyeball wearer's eye in the eye zone where the right part of the boundary between the sclera and iris moves around Each output unit may belong to an irradiation path including reflection on the eyeball wearer's eyeball in the eye area where the left part of the boundary between the sclera and the iris of the eyeball moves.
The radiation source (s), output unit (s), input unit (s), and detector (s) associated with at least one of these lenses have different output units At least two different radiation paths traversing can be configured to enter the same input common to those paths, and the means for separating a portion of the radiation depending on the radiation path is different paths Can be adapted to synchronize the measurements made by the detector (s) with different modulations applied to the radiation delivered by.

  The glasses of the present invention may further comprise means for changing the characteristics of at least one of these lenses in response to the result of eyeglass wearer eye convergence characterized by the calculation unit. is there. In particular, means for changing the properties of one of these lenses can be provided in this lens. For example, each lens can be a single-focus lens having a refractive power that can be adjusted according to the observation distance estimated from the convergence of the eyeball wearer's eyeball. Thus, presbyopic glasses wearers can undergo vision correction adjusted for their respective viewing distances across the entire surface of the lens without residual astigmatism.

The glasses of the present invention can also be conveniently used in vision training during a vision retraining session. Such glasses allow more highly customized and controlled re-education exercises to be performed on patients wearing glasses.
The present invention also proposes a spectacle lens adapted to be assembled in spectacles as described above. Such a lens
-At least one radiation source, each radiation source being integrated in the lens, the radiation being reflected differently to the sclera and iris by the sclera and iris of the eyeglass wearer of these lenses At least one radiation source, which may be infrared radiation, each selected to be reflected according to an intensity factor;
At least one detector of this radiation, each detector being integrated in a lens, in the eye zone where the right or left part of the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball moves around during eye movement At least one detector configured to measure the intensity of a portion of the radiation generated by one of these radiation sources reflected by
A transparent conductive strip integrated into the lenses, electrically connecting the terminals of the respective detectors and the respective radiation sources and configured radially in the periphery of these lenses;
-As described above, it comprises at least four irradiation line outputs or inputs configured in the lens to form an irradiation line path with the eyeball of the eyeglass lens wearer.

  The radial configuration of the conductive strips in the periphery of these lenses allows the electrical connection to a predetermined location in the frame to establish an electrical connection between the lens strip supported by the frame and other electronic components. Provide contact. Furthermore, this radial configuration allows the lens to be trimmed to any shape of the frame rim while retaining the possibility of providing electrical contact for the frame.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view showing the use of glasses according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows use of the spectacles by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is an enlarged front view illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2b corresponds to FIG. 2b for two different positions of the eyeball of a person wearing glasses. FIG. 2b corresponds to FIG. 2b for two different positions of the eyeball of a person wearing glasses. FIG. 2b corresponds to FIG. 2a for the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of one lens of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of one lens of this invention. FIG. 6 illustrates one of two different types of embodiments of the present invention. It is a figure which illustrates the other of two different kinds of embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2a corresponds to FIG. 2a for a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 2 b for the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2c corresponds to FIG. 2c for a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 d for the third embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure corresponding to FIG. 3 with respect to the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

  For the sake of clarity, the dimensions of the elements represented in these figures are not proportional to the actual dimensions, nor are they proportional to the ratio of the actual dimensions. Further, the use of the same reference symbols in different figures represents the same element or elements having the same function.

  In FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the glasses include a frame 3 and two ophthalmic lenses, and the right lens and the left lens are represented by 1 and 2. The frame 3 holds the lenses 1 and 2 in a relatively fixed position, so that they can be placed in front of the eyeglass wearer's eye in a manner that remains constant during successive periods of use. Become. The lenses 1 and 2 can be permanently assembled to the frame 3 by one of the assembly methods known to eyeglasses technicians. Alternatively, the lenses 1 and 2 according to the present invention may be added to the original glasses equipped with the frame 3. The original glasses may have solar protection and / or eye correction functions. In this case, for example, the lenses 1 and 2 may be provided on the original glasses so as to be removable using a clip-type structure.

  Reference numerals 100 and 200 represent the eyeball of the eyeglass wearer, where 100 indicates the right eye and 200 indicates the left eye. For each of the eyeglasses 100 and 200 of the eyeglass wearer, the symbols S, I, P, L, and R represent the sclera, iris, pupil, edge, and center of rotation of the eyeball. It is known that the iris I is an annulus with a variable inner diameter that determines the size of the pupil P and an outer diameter that is constant. The edge L is the outer boundary of the iris L between the iris and the sclera S. The edge L is a circle of a certain size fixed to the corresponding eyeball when the eyeball rotates around the rotation center R. Visually, the edge L is a circular boundary between the white sclera S and the colored iris I.

  For each eyeball 100 and 200, axes D1 and D2 passing through the rotation center R and the center A of the corresponding pupil P are optical axes of the respective eyeballs. The center A of the pupil P is also the apex of the crystalline lens. The optical axes D1 and D2 are fixed to the eyeballs 100 and 200 and rotate together with the edge L. The optical axes D1, D2 of the eyeballs 100, 200 converge at a convergence point C (FIG. 1b), which is the location of the object that the spectacle wearer is looking at at a given moment. The average direction D0 of the optical axes D1 and D2 is the gaze direction of the spectacle wearer at that moment. The gaze direction D0 normally connects the midpoint of the line segment between the rotation centers R of both eyes and the convergence point C. In FIG. 1 b, the observation distance, which is the distance of the convergence point C with respect to the rotation center R, is represented by D.

  According to the present invention described in the specific embodiment, the position of the convergence point C with respect to the face of the spectacle wearer can be determined. In these embodiments, the position of point C is determined by detecting the rotational position of each eyeball 100, 200 relative to the corresponding lens 1,2. Each lens 1, 2 of the present invention thus makes it possible to determine the angular position of the optical axes D1, D2 of the corresponding eyeballs 100, 200. Then, the convergence point C is estimated (along with the observation distance D if necessary) from the positions of the two optical axes D1 and D2.

  In order to define the optical axis position of each eyeball, two angles α and β are used, which are referred to as elevation angle and eccentricity, respectively. The elevation angle α is normally the same for both eyes 100 and 200, and is an angle formed between the optical axes D1 and D2 and a horizontal reference plane when the head of the eyeglass wearer is vertical. The eccentricity β of the optical axes D1 and D2 of each eyeball is an angle formed by the axis and the median plane of the vertical face when the head of the eyeglass wearer is vertical. At the same time, the eccentricity β usually has individual values for each eye, and the difference between the two values determines the convergence of the eyeball (meaning the observation distance D).

  The eccentricity of the optical axes D1 and D2 of each eyeball 100 and 200 is actually determined based on the position of the edge L of the eyeball. Specifically, in the right and left lateral regions of the eyeball, the positions of the right end and the left end of the edge L are determined by measuring the intensity of the irradiation line reflected by the eyeball. In order to do this, each lens is provided with an irradiation unit called an output unit, which is in the lateral region of the eyeball where the right and left parts of the edge move around when the eyeball rotates. One or a plurality of irradiation beam beams are irradiated toward the target. In addition, a condensing unit called an input unit is also provided, which collects part of the irradiation line reflected in the lateral region of the eyeball. The output is supplied with radiation by at least one radiation source, and the input is optically connected to the at least one detector for measuring the intensity of each part of the radiation collected by the input. Connected.

In the right lens 1 of FIGS. 2 a to 2 d, the first irradiation / light reception pair includes an output unit 10 and an input unit 11. For example, the portions 10 and 11 may be adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction and the distance between them may be between 0.1 mm and 3 mm. The second irradiation / light receiving pair includes another output unit 12 and an input unit 13. The pairs 10/11 and 12/13 may be identical in construction. These are located in the lens 1 with the same elevation angle α (represented by α ₁ ). These are positioned at different eccentricity values β, that is, the irradiation / reception pair 10/11 is positioned so as to face the right side region ZD1 of the eyeball in which the right side portion of the edge L moves, and the irradiation / reception pair 12/13 is positioned so as to face the left lateral region ZG1 where the left portion of the edge L moves. Each irradiation light receiving pair is shown in FIGS. 2b to 2d, as shown in FIG. 2b to FIG. 2d, from the corresponding output units 10 and 12 to the corresponding input units 11 and 13, respectively. (Including the above points). In the embodiment of the present invention, the separate irradiation line paths used for determining the rotational position of the eyeball are separated in such a manner that the irradiation line output unit and the input unit are configured in the lens.

  2b, 2c and 2d respectively represent the rotational position of the right eyeball 100, where the optical axis D1 corresponds to the eccentricity value β, which is zero (FIG. 2b), negative or side Directed to the head side (FIG. 2c) or to the plus or nasal side (FIG. 2d). When the wavelength of the radiation used is between 900 nm and 1200 nm, the position of the eyeball 100 can be detected by the difference between the low reflection intensity from the iris and the higher reflection intensity from the sclera. The reflections detected by the irradiated pairs 10/11, 12/13 in the lateral regions ZD1, ZG1 have an intensity that is substantially the same in the case of FIG. 2b and in the case of FIG. The intensity of / 11 is smaller than that of 12/13 and is greater in the case of FIG. When the degree of eccentricity β of the optical axis D1 continuously changes, the intensity measured with respect to a part of the irradiation rays reaching the input units 11 and 13 also continuously changes in the opposite direction. Therefore, the irradiation light-receiving pairs 10/11 and 12/13 can determine the angular position of the optical axis D1 of the eyeball 100 in the horizontal plane when the head of the glasses wearer is vertical.

  The eyeglass wearer can wear a contact lens, which improves the sensitivity of position detection for each eyeball. Such a contact lens can cover the iris of the corresponding eyeball while keeping the center on the optical axis for any rotational position of the eyeball. It is good also as a design which adapts the value of the apparent reflectance of an iris so that the reflective contrast between an iris and a sclera may be raised.

  A calculation unit is associated with the glasses. This may be incorporated into a part of the arm of the frame 3, for example. Such a calculation unit is adapted as follows: the angular position of the optical axis D1 is determined from the measured intensity of the reflected part of the radiation. The angular position of the optical axis D1 can be determined by calculation. Alternatively, the calculation unit determines the angular position of the optical axis D1 by reading from a stored table indicating this position, depending on the intensity value measured for the different irradiation path and used as input to this table. can do.

  It is understood that the left lens 2 has a configuration similar to that of the right lens 1, which is symmetrical to the right lens with respect to the median plane of the glasses wearer's face. At the same time as the position of the right eyeball 100 with respect to the optical axis D1 is determined by the calculation unit, it is possible to determine the angular position of the optical axis D2 of the left eyeball 200 of the glasses wearer. Next, the observation distance D is obtained, and in some cases, the position of the convergence center C of both eyes and / or the gaze direction D0 is also obtained.

  As explained, the calculation unit can be adapted as follows: with respect to the lens located in front of its eyeball, and the eye area where the right and left part of the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball moves around First, the angular position of the optical axis of each eyeball is determined based on the intensity measured at the same time with respect to a part of the irradiation line reflected by a part of the eye. The computing unit is also adapted to determine the vergence of the eyeglass wearer's eye based on each angular position of the binocular optical axis determined for the same moment in time. However, such operation in two consecutive steps of the calculation unit is not essential. Concerning the part of the radiation reflected by the eyeglass wearer's eyeball (possibly along with the angular position in the direction D0 and the observation distance D) reflected in the lateral region of both eyes where the corresponding right and left portions of the edge L move around It may be estimated in a single step based on the appropriate combination (s) of intensities measured simultaneously.

Each lens is also configured to determine at least two pairs of radiation paths, which include reflections on the eyewear wearer's eye in the lateral region, the lateral regions being the same located elevation alpha ₂ of the same second is the route for the path of the first pair to the same first elevation angle alpha _1, also the same second pair. Figures 2a to 2d illustrate such an improved embodiment where each path is determined by an illuminating / receiving pair that is separated from the illuminating / receiving pair of the other path. The output unit 10 together with the input unit 11, and the output unit 12 together with the input unit 13 determine a first pair of irradiation path located at the elevation angle value α ₁ . Similarly, the output section 20 together with the input unit 21, output unit 22 together with the input unit 23, determines a second pair of radiation paths which are located to the value alpha ₂ elevation. Irradiating the light receiving pair 20/21 determines the auxiliary optical path, the optical path includes a reflecting point on the eye 100 which is located right next to the area ZD2 of the eyeball at an elevation angle alpha ₂ under the region ZD1. Similarly, irradiation light receiving pair 22/23 determines the different auxiliary optical path, the optical path, the reflection points on the eyeball 100 which are located to the left region ZG2 eyeball at an elevation angle alpha ₂ under area ZG1 Contains. In this case, the elevation angle of the eye area associated with the two pairs of irradiation path may have a difference between 10 ° and 45 ° in absolute value. One of these elevation values, eg, α ₁ , may correspond to viewing an object that is substantially located at the eyeball level of the spectacle wearer. The other elevation value α ₂ may correspond to viewing an object placed in the lower part of the eyewear wearer's field of view. The calculation unit may also be adapted to select one of the values of the elevation of the eye zone to characterize the vergence of the eyeglass wearer's eyeball. Such a selection can be made in particular depending on the value of the signal to noise ratio for at least some of the measured intensities. In such a system, the irradiation path that can be blocked by lowering the eyeglass wearer's eyelid is not considered when determining the eyeball congestion of the eyeglass wearer.

FIG. 3 illustrates an improvement of the present invention in which an illuminated receiver pair corresponding to one of these elevation values is transverse to an irradiated receiver pair corresponding to the other elevation value. It is offset in the direction. Irradiating the light receiving pair 20/21, 22/23 defining the reflections on the eye elevation alpha _2, the distance e by the nasal side of the light irradiating and receiving pairs 10/11, 12/13 defining the reflections on the eye at an elevation angle alpha ₁ It is offset towards. In the case where the lenses 1 and 2 are generally progressive lenses, which are referred to as progressive lenses, the elevation angle values α ₁ and α ₂ correspond to the elevation angle in each lens with respect to the near and far vision directions, respectively. be able to. The offset e may result from the variable convergence of the eyeball between the near and far vision states and may be substantially equal to the offset, commonly referred to as inset. In this case, the offset e can be between 4 mm and 6.5 mm. More generally this can be between 0 mm and 7 mm.

  In a first type of embodiment of the invention, each radiation source can be a light emitting diode operating at a wavelength between 900 nm and 1200 nm. In this case, each irradiation line output unit corresponds to a part of the light emitting surface of the diode. Alternatively, each radiation source can be a VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) source.

  In parallel, each detector can be a photodiode or a phototransistor. Each irradiation input portion then corresponds to a photosensitive portion on the surface of the photodiode or phototransistor.

  In a particularly advantageous combination, each radiation source and each detector is a micro-optoelectronic component based on a semiconductor material integrated in a respective lens. In this manner, each lens is an independent element adapted to implement the present invention at production and frame assembly costs that can be very cheap. In this case, each lens further includes a transparent conductive strip that electrically connects a terminal of each irradiation source and a terminal of each detector. These strips connect the radiation source and detector to a computing unit that may be external to the spectacle lens. Preferably, the conductive strip is configured radially in the periphery of the lens. With such a configuration of the strip, the lens can be trimmed to the shape of the rim of the frame 3, and where each of the conductive strips appears at the trimmed edge can be easily identified. For example, the conductive strip occupies separate angular sectors within the periphery of the lens. As shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, each lens 1, 2 can include a base 50 and an encapsulating part 51, which are attached together, and between each of the base 50 and the encapsulating part 51, An irradiation source, a detector, and a conductive strip can be placed. For example, the strip 40 may constitute a ground terminal shared by all the radiation sources and detectors of the lens, and the strips 41-48 are separate from each radiation source 10, 12, 20, 22 respectively. And another terminal of each detector 11, 13, 21, 23 are connected. These strips, radiation sources, and detectors can be coated on a transparent layer of adhesive 52 that is formed on the base 50 and secures the mechanical bond to the enclosure 51. The radiation source and detector are advantageously very small in size so as not to interfere with or be visible to the eyewear wearer's vision. Furthermore, the strips 40-48 may be made of any material, such as tin-doped indium oxide or ITO (indium tin oxide), which is transparent and conductive. Alternatively, each strip 40-48 can be replaced by a very thin conductor that is configured radially in the periphery of the lens. In FIG. 4a, C represents the trim line shown as an example. Trim line C cuts through each of the strips 40-48 in the radial component.

  In a second type of embodiment of the present invention, each radiation source can be located outside the corresponding lens and optically coupled to one of the outputs by a first optical guide (eg, an optical fiber). can do. Similarly, each radiation detector can also be placed outside of their lens, and by a second optical guide that can be separated from or combined with one of the first optical guides, It can be optically coupled to one of the radiation input sections. In a specific lens manufacturing method, each of the first or second optical guides is incorporated into the lens during molding by placing it in an injection mold before the material forming the lens is introduced into the mold. Can do. Each radiation output or input can have a microprism integrated into the lens, and this microprism is the direction in which the radiation is illuminated towards the lateral region of the eyeball or the reflection of the radiation. The direction in which the part is collected is determined. In other words, each radiation output or input is formed by the surface of the microprism located at the end of the optical guide. In FIG. 5, reference numerals 50 to 53 and reference numerals 60 to 63 represent optical fibers that connect the output units and the input units 10 to 13 and 20 to 23, respectively. For the same reasons as above with respect to the conductive strip, the optical fibers 50-53, 60-63 are preferably arranged radially in the lens 2, so the position in the trim line C is easily determined.

  In a third type of embodiment of the present invention, the glasses further comprise an optical guide for each lens, which can form an image of a portion of the eyeball outside the lens. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 70 represents such an optical guide and embodiments thereof will be known to those skilled in the art and will not be described herein. In an advantageous configuration, the optical guide 70 penetrates the lens 1 from the temporal edge of the lens at the arm of the frame 3 in order to avoid a reduction in the usability and appearance of the lens. The optical guide can also provide an amount of light sufficient to detect an image of an eyeball by emitting an irradiation line from an irradiation source outside the lens. Next, the irradiation line is sent from the irradiation source through at least four zones (forming the irradiation line output unit) of the optical guide 70. Advantageously, the active surface of the optical guide 70 in a position facing the eyeball is continuous between the outputs. The detector is then distributed in the region of the image of the eyeball imaged by the optical guide, where the right and left portions of the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball move around during eye movement.

  FIGS. 7a to 7d illustrate another embodiment of the lens of the present invention, where several light paths including the reflection points of the lateral regions ZD1, ZD2, ZG1, ZG2 of the eyeball have the same irradiation input section. Share. In these drawings, reference numerals 30 and 32 denote irradiation line output units located at the same first elevation angle in the lens, and reference numerals 40 and 42 denote irradiation lines located at the same second elevation angle in the lens. Reference numeral 31 denotes an output unit, and reference numeral 31 denotes an input unit common to these four output units. The first irradiation line path exits from the output unit 30 and includes the reflection in the lateral eye area ZD1 in which the upper right side portion of the edge L moves, and reaches the input unit 31. The second irradiation line path exits from the output unit 32 and includes the reflection in the lateral eye zone ZG1 in which the upper left portion of the edge L moves around, and reaches the input unit 31. Similarly, the third irradiation line path exits from the output unit 40 and includes the reflection in the lateral eye zone ZD2 in which the lower right portion of the edge L moves, and reaches the input unit 31. Finally, the fourth irradiation line path exits from the output unit 42 and reaches the input unit 31 including reflection in the lateral eye zone ZG2 in which the lower left portion of the edge L moves. In this case, each of the output units 30, 32, 40, and 42 may be supplied with irradiation rays in four separate time modulations, and the detector optically connected to the input unit 31 performs synchronous detection. To be controlled. Such synchronous detection can isolate a portion of the radiation that follows one of the four paths through one of the eye areas, and these four paths are the same input and the same detector. Share Alternatively, other means can be used to separate a portion of the radiation that follows one of these paths. For example, different radiation wavelengths or polarizations can be used for each of these paths, and filtering is performed to separate a portion of the radiation from each eye area collected by the common input.

  7c and 7d show different positions of the edge L of the eyeball 100 with respect to the lateral eye area including reflections of the four irradiation line paths. The intensity of the reflected portion of the radiation that follows one of these four paths varies in the same manner as described above for FIGS. 2c and 2d.

  In yet another embodiment of the lens of the present invention, several paths including each reflection point in the lateral region of the eyeball share the same radiation output, and in some cases may have the same radiation source. They then reach a different radiation input section. Such an embodiment will not be described since it can be easily deduced from the above.

  The last two embodiments described above thus simplify the production of eyeglass lenses due to the small number of parts provided.

Finally, FIG. 8 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention deduced from the embodiment in FIGS. 2a-2d. These two irradiation line output units and two irradiation line input units are replaced with each column of the output unit and each column of the input unit in the right side portion and the left side portion of each spectacle lens. Therefore, the right side portion of the lens 1 has the output units 10 ₁ ,. . . 10 _n and the input units 11 ₁ ,. . . Includes a row of 11 _n. These two rows are relatively perpendicular to and parallel to the use position of the lens 1 for the spectacle wearer, preferably close to each other, and the output and input are decremented at the same elevation angle toward the bottom of the lens. It is gradually offset. However, the sections in the same row need not be contiguous so that they can be paired at intervals. The left part of the lens 1 may be similar to that in the right part of the same lens 1 output units 12 ₁ ,. . . , 12 _n and the inputs 13 ₁ ,. . . Includes a row of 13 _n. The lens 2 has a symmetric structure with the structure of the lens 1. These columns of output or input can be formed directly by a column of radiation sources, such as infrared light emitting diodes, or by a column of detectors, such as photodiodes or phototransistors.

  The use of such an array of radiation sources or detectors is particularly advantageous for characterizing eyeglass wearer eye congestion without requiring much power. Also, the energy source that supplies power to the radiation source, detector, and calculation unit may be of reduced capacity. In fact, the radiation source and detector corresponding to the radiation path with reflection on the eyeball at the same eye zone elevation angle can be selected according to one of the following strategies, and other radiation sources: And the detector is not activated.

(I) The irradiation source and detector can be operated sequentially in a predetermined scan order.
(Ii) an illumination source and detector activated for a new sequence for measuring the intensity of the illumination reflected from the eyeball, depending on at least one value of the signal-to-noise ratio obtained in the previous measurement sequence You can choose.
(Iii) These depend on the prediction algorithm for the elevation angle of reflection from the eye that is most suitable to re-characterize the vergence convergence of the eyeglass wearer, depending on the elevation angle already selected in the previous characterization. You can choose. This strategy allows for the already determined elevation angle of gaze direction,
(Iv) A combined policy combining the selection criteria of the above policies (i) to (iii).

  These measures are particularly suitable for preventing the eyewear wearer's eyelid movement from interfering with the eyewear wearer's gaze congestion characterization according to the present invention.

  One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described with respect to the figures. In particular, the different types of embodiments of the invention listed can be combined in various ways with different positions and routes relative to the radiation path, which move around the right and left part of the edge Each reflection point in the lateral region of the eyeball is included. Furthermore, the irradiation line output and the position of the input unit in each lens can be freely modified so as to form an irradiation line path including a reflection point arranged in the variable region of the eyeball. It is also possible that the same section through which the radiation passes through the lens is the radiation input part as well as the radiation output part. In this case, this section is substantially located in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the eyeball in the corresponding eye area.

  In particular, in an embodiment where the output and input portions that are part of the same illumination-receiving pair are adjacent to each other, the relative position of the output and input portions remains the same location on the eyeball. Corrections can be made while maintaining the reflection points of the line path. In particular, the positions of the output unit and the input unit can be interchanged.

  Various improvements of the present invention will now be described that increase the reliability of eyeball vergence determination and / or improve the comfort and / or safety of a person wearing glasses.

  In a first of these improvements, the glasses further comprise means for modulating the radiation generated by each radiation source and means for processing the detection signal generated by each detector. Can do. These means are adapted to perform synchronous detection of respective portions of the radiation reflected from the spectacle wearer's eye based on the modulation of the radiation source. In particular, by using such synchronous detection, it is possible to distinguish between the irradiation line generated in the present invention and the irradiation line in the background environment. In particular, the modulation can be selected such that the contribution of ambient radiation at a frequency that is a multiple of 50 Hz (Hertz) is effectively eliminated by synchronous detection. Such contributions are generally provided by discharge lighting systems.

  In a second refinement, the glasses can further comprise means for filtering the measurement signals generated by the respective detectors. This means may be adapted to eliminate measurements corresponding to involuntary fluctuations in eyewear wearer's eye convergence. Involuntary fluctuations in eyewear wearer's eye convergence are generally much faster than fluctuations that result from spontaneous changes between objects that the eyeglass wearer continuously focuses on. In this way, the determination of the eyewear wearer's eye congestion may be limited to changes in visual attention perceived by the eyeglass wearer. Thus, if the present invention is used to control a variable characteristic of a lens, this characteristic is corrected only in measurements that are useful with respect to the eyewear wearer's visual attention.

  Finally, in a third refinement, the glasses have each radiation source adapted to activate the intermittent operation of this radiation source with a duty cycle between 2% and 50%, preferably less than 10%. Means for controlling can also be provided. This duty cycle value may be selected based on a number of different criteria, including limiting the amount of radiation emitted towards the eye and limiting the power consumed by the spectacle lens of the present invention. In fact, such a lens is preferably powered by a battery housed in the frame. The radiation source can also be activated to perform two successive determinations of eyeglass vergence of the spectacle wearer separated by a fixed period of time. Such a waiting period is generally independent of the duty cycle of the operation of the radiation source. In particular, this may be determined as a function of the time required for the computing unit to determine eyeball congestion from the measurement signal generated by the detector.

Claims (17)

A frame (3) and two lenses (1, 2), which are held in the frame so as to be positioned in front of each eyeball (100, 200) of the spectacle wearer, thereby allowing the spectacle wearer through each lens Ophthalmic glasses comprising two lenses (1, 2) for providing two separate visions,
Each lens
-An irradiation source, which is irradiated with the sclera (S) and iris (I) according to different reflection intensity coefficients of the sclera (S) and iris (I) of each eyeball of the wearer; At least one radiation source selected to reflect;
A detector configured to measure each of the intensities of a part of the radiation generated by the radiation source, wherein the part of the radiation is a sclera of an eye located behind the lens And at least one detector, each of which is reflected in an eye area (ZD1, ZG1, ZD2, ZG2) in which the right or left part of the boundary (L) between the iris and the iris moves around during eye movement;
An irradiation line output unit or input unit arranged in the lens, wherein each output unit (10, 12, 20, 22) transmits a part of the irradiation line generated by the irradiation line source in the eye area; Each of the input units (11, 13, 21, 23) is configured to collect a part of the irradiation line reflected by one of the eye areas. At least four irradiation output or input units;
With
Four illuminations including reflections on the eyeball wearer's eyeball where each path is located behind the lens in one of the eye zones where the right or left part of the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball moves around A line path is formed,
The ophthalmic glasses further include
Means for separating a portion of the radiation sent between the at least one radiation source and the at least one detector by each separate radiation path;
A calculation unit adapted to characterize eyeglass wearer's eye convergence at a common observation point (C) as a function of the intensity measured simultaneously for the two lenses;
With
For each lens (1, 2)
The at least one radiation source;
The at least one detector; and
The at least four irradiation output units (10, 12, 20, 22) or input units (11, 13, 21, 23)
It is configured to form at least two pairs of radiation paths that can be clearly distinguished, and two of the first radiation output sections (10, 12) have the same first elevation angle (α ₁ ). Two of the second irradiation line output units (20, 22) are configured in each lens at a _second elevation angle (α ₂ ) different from the first elevation angle, and configured in each lens.
Thereby, the eye area (ZD1, ZG1, ZD2,...) Of the right part and the left part of the boundary (L) between the sclera and the iris of the eyeglass wearer's eye located behind the lens for each pair of paths. ZG2) is the same eye region elevation (α _1, α ₂₎ is a eye region associated with said pair elevation (alpha _1, located alpha _2), also a pair of two of said paths, distinguished Possible and associated with an elevation angle common to the two lenses,
The calculation unit is for the eyeglass wearer as a function of the intensity measured simultaneously for a portion of the radiation sent by each path associated with the same eye zone elevation for the two lenses. Ophthalmic glasses that are adapted to characterize eye convergence. The calculation unit is
The elevation angle of the eye area (ZD1, ZG1, ZD2, ZG2) to characterize the eyeball wearer's eye convergence as a function of at least some signal-to-noise ratio values of the measured intensity The glasses of claim 1, wherein the glasses are adapted to select one of (α ₁ , α ₂ ). The calculation unit is
The eye area (ZD1, ZG1, ZD2, ZG2) with respect to the lens (1,2) located in front of the eyeball and to which the right and left part of the boundary (L) between the sclera and iris of the eyeball moves Is adapted to first determine the angular position of the optical axis (D1, D2) of each eyeball (100, 200) from the simultaneously measured intensities for a portion of the radiation reflected at some of the
3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, further adapted to determine eyewear vergence of the eyeglass wearer based on each angular position of the binocular optical axis determined for the same instantaneous time point. Glasses. Each lens has the same number of irradiation line output units (10, 12, 20, 22) as the irradiation line input units (11, 13, 21, 23).
Each output unit forms a separate irradiation irradiation receiving pair adjacent to one of the input units in the lens,
Each irradiation / light receiving pair is configured such that one of the right and left portions of the boundary (L) between the sclera (S) and the iris (I) of the eyeglass wearer's eye located behind the lens moves around during eye movement. Arranged in front of one of the eye zones (ZD1, ZG1, ZD2, ZG2),
Glasses according to any one of claims 1 to 3. With respect to each lens (1, 2), the irradiation output part is configured in the form of two rows respectively located on the right and left side of the lens,
Each output (10 ₁ ,..., 10 _n ) of the row located in the right part of the lens is the right part of the boundary (L) between the sclera (S) and the iris (I) of the eyeball Belongs to an irradiation path including reflection on the eyeball (100) of the eyeglass wearer within the eye area where the eye moves around,
Each output (12 ₁ ,..., 12 _n ) of the row located in the left side part of the lens moves the left side part of the boundary between the sclera and the iris of the eyeball. The glasses as described in any one of Claims 1-4 which belong to the irradiation line path | route including reflection on the eyeglasses wearer's eyeball within an eye area. The at least one detector associated with at least one of the at least one radiation source, an output, at least one input, and a lens;
At least two different radiation paths are configured to traverse different outputs (30, 32, 40, 42) to reach the same input (31) common to each path;
The means for separating a portion of the irradiation line as a function of the irradiation path so as to synchronize the measurements made by the at least one detector according to different modulations applied to the irradiation lines sent on the different paths. Glasses according to any one of the preceding claims, adapted. Each radiation source and each detector is a micro-optoelectronic component based on a semiconductor material, integrated in a corresponding lens,
The lens further comprises transparent conductive strips (40-48) radially configured in the periphery of the lens that electrically connect the terminals of each detector and each radiation source to the calculation unit. The glasses according to any one of claims 1 to 6. Each radiation source is arranged outside the corresponding lens and is optically coupled to one of the outputs (10, 12, 20, 22) by a first optical guide (50, 52, 60, 62). And
Each detector is arranged outside the corresponding lens and is optically coupled to one of the inputs (11, 13, 21, 23) by a second optical guide (51, 53, 61, 63). The
The glasses according to any one of claims 1 to 6. further,
For each lens (1, 2), an optical guide (70) for forming a partial image of the eyeball (100, 200) outside the lens is provided,
The detector is distributed in an imaging region in which the imaged right and left portions of the boundary (L) between the sclera (S) and the iris (I) of the eyeball move around during eye movement,
The glasses according to any one of claims 1 to 6. further,
Means for changing a characteristic of at least one of the lenses according to a result of the convergence of the eyeball of the eyeglass wearer characterized by the calculation unit;
Glasses according to any one of claims 1 to 9. Glasses lenses (1, 2),
-An irradiation source (10, 12, 20, 22) integrated in each lens, according to the different reflection intensity coefficients of the sclera (S) and iris (I) of each eyeball of the wearer; At least one radiation source (10, 12, 20) whose radiation is selected to reflect on the sclera (S) or iris (I) of the eyeglass (100, 200) of the eyeglass wearer of the lens. 22)
-Irradiation detectors (11, 13, 21, 23), each detector being integrated in the lens and occurring at one of the irradiation sources, the sclera and iris of the eyeball Is configured to measure the intensity of a part of the irradiation line reflected by the eyeball in an eye area (ZD1, ZG1, ZD2, ZG2) in which the right or left part of the boundary (L) moves around during eye movement. At least one detector (11, 13, 21, 23);
A transparent conductive strip (40-48) integrated with the lens, configured radially in the periphery of the lens, electrically connecting the terminals of each detector and each radiation source;
-Irradiation line output or input unit configured in the lens, each output unit (10, 12, 20, 22) is a part of the irradiation line generated in the irradiation source of the eye area It is configured to irradiate at least one, and each input unit (11, 13, 21, 23) is configured to collect a part of the irradiation line reflected by one of the eye areas. At least four radiation output or input units,
With
An eye in which at least two radiation paths, each including a reflection on the eyeglass wearer's eyeball located behind the lens, move about the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball, respectively, to the right and left sides of the path, respectively. Formed in one of the areas,
Two first radiation output sections (10, 12) are configured in the lens at the same first elevation angle (α ₁ ),
Two second irradiation output units (20, 22) are configured on the lens at the same second elevation angle (α ₂ ) different from the first elevation angle,
Eyeglass lenses (1, 2). It has the same number of radiation sources (10, 12, 20, 22) as detectors (11, 13, 21, 23),
Each radiation source forms a separate radiation irradiation receiver pair adjacent to one of the detectors in the lens;
Each irradiation / light receiving pair includes the eye area (ZD1, ZG1) in which one of the right and left portions of the boundary (L) between the sclera (S) and the iris (I) of the eyeglass wearer's eyeball moves around during eye movement. , ZD2, ZG2) before one of
The spectacle lens according to claim 11. The radiation source is configured in the form of two rows, each located in the right and left part of the lens,
Each irradiation source (10 ₁ ,..., 10 _n ) in the row located in the right part of the lens (1) is connected to the boundary between the sclera (S) and the iris (I) of the eyeball (L ) Belongs to the irradiation path including the reflection on the eyeball (100) of the eyeglass wearer within the eye area where the right side portion moves around,
Each irradiation source (12 ₁ ,..., 12 _n ) in the row located in the left part of the lens is within the eye zone where the left part of the boundary between the sclera and iris of the eyeball moves around, Belongs to the irradiation path including the reflection on the eyeball of the eyeglass wearer,
The spectacle lens according to claim 11 or 12.   The spectacle lens according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein each radiation source (10, 12, 20, 22) is a light emitting diode operating at a wavelength between 900 nm and 1200 nm.   The spectacle lens according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein each detector (11, 13, 21, 23) is a photodiode or a phototransistor. And a lens base (50) and a lens encapsulating part (51), the base and encapsulating part being integrally attached,
Each irradiation source (10, 12, 20, 22) of the lens, each detector (11, 13, 21, 23), and each conductive strip (40-48) are interposed between the base and the encapsulating part. The eyeglass lens according to any one of claims 11 to 15, which is configured.   The spectacle lens according to any one of claims 11 to 16, further comprising means for changing characteristics of the lens.

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